Date: Mon, 12 Apr 2010 16:33:00 -0700
Reply-To: neil n <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: neil n <musomuso@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: WBX Transmission: Failing 3-4 Hub Feels Like?
In-Reply-To: <0bcb01cada8e$4c6b1da0$6401a8c0@PROSPERITY>
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On Mon, Apr 12, 2010 at 3:19 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans
<scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:
> I'll have to say a 2WD Vanagon transaxle is one of the sweetest, easiest
> transmissions there is to remove and replace in the car world..
> doesn't get much sweeter than that.
>
> like on a front engine rear drive car, you're messing with the shift linkage
> in the console area ..nothing like that in a vanagon.
> two bolts on the side of the trans, the likage is off. What could be sweeter
> ?
>
> a good selection of tools helps ..nothing fancy either.
> Hard flat floor, Good soid jack stands, and a floor jack and a botlte jack,
> and a 4 X 4 and some chain or heavy rope. And a few hand tools.
> The trans sits nicely on a floor jack ........nicely shapped and baanced for
> that.
> It's easy to support the engine from above in a vanagon.
> Really ....it's not bad at all, unless you are dealing with stuck/rusted
> stuff, or stripped out CV joint screws or whatever ..
> R & R ing a 2WD vanagon transaxle is about as sweet as it gets in the car
> world for changing a trans.
> If you get things supported and balanced right ...there's no struggle, no
> brute strength or cursing needed or anything like that.
>
> Really........they don't get easier or sweeter to R & R than it is in a 2WD
> vanagon.
>
>
I'm sure it is. :) But. My in terms of room under van to work, my
carport has a shed style roof. I'm limited in how high I can lift the
vehicle. I may be able to eke out a few more inches though. I mean
it's so cramped for room, I recently made some ramps that level out
the driveway hill, effectively extending the floor of carport. This
way I can push van out ~ 1' more. Anyhow, for install I end up sliding
the transmission under, then lifting it up onto the floor jack.
Getting it out is easier in that regard though.
One thing that messed my up for install time before last, was the nose
of the engine tipping toward rear of vehicle. The stock engine doesn't
do this. With nose tipped to rear, the install angle was all wrong.
Last install was much easier when nose lifted angling engine down at
FW end. Rookie engine swapper mistake. ;)
Also for last install, I made a wooden platform for the floor jack. I
bolted a (7/8" ??) socket to ~ middle of platform. This socket fits
nicely into hole on floor jack where cup normally is. I put two wood
rails on sides. "Tabs" on side of transmission sit on the rails. This
helps keep tranny from toppling off jack. This was a huge help in that
I'm lying on my side doing all this work. For future use, in my case,
I'll cut angles on ends of rails so transmission will slide on easier.
Getting vehicle up higher will help, but I'm still working on my side
or back. Wah. ;^)
Neil.
--
Neil Nicholson '81 VanaJetta 2.0 "Jaco"
http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/
http://groups.google.com/group/vanagons-with-vw-inline-4-cylinder-gas-engines
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